REVIEW: ‘The Daily Life of the Immortal King,’ Episode 26 – “The Coming”

The Daily Life of the Immortal King is a school life/ fantasy donghua (Chinese animation) produced by Bilibili. Having destroyed the comet that threatened Earth, Sun and Ling hoped to spend a moment catching their breath in space, but it appears that was just the beginning of the Demon Realm’s designs on Earth. Portals soon open, spewing out an army that threatens to overrun the world in The Daily Life of the Immortal King Episode 26.

With last week’s trip to the animation studio ignored, this week’s episode picks up from episode 24’s ending. As the Demon Realm’s invasion begins, the Demon Lord has identified Ling as the greatest threat to his success. Utilizing a potent magic spell, the demon hopes to trap both Ling and Sun on the space station so they cannot interfere with the fall of Earth.

While last week’s story seems to have been out of continuity, The Daily Life of the Immortal King Episode 26 continues that episode’s fun with the show’s visuals as the prison Ling and Sun are contained in causes them to transform into 3D renders of themselves. That they are aware of this change is an entertaining note as the series continues to explore the self-awareness of its characters. The final solution that Ling comes to is a wonderful mixture of brilliance and comical genius that further plays on the visuals.

Sun and Ling’s exploration of the trap that has been set for them serves as a calming break from the frenzy of activity on Earth. The sheer scale of the demon invasion surprised me when it happened. However, the Earth’s defenders aren’t willing to just surrender, and I enjoyed the plan that is conceived to repel the enemy invaders. I love when a show harkens back to earlier moments, utilizing concepts the viewer has already been familiarized with, so no wordy explanations are needed to explain details, thus slowing down the action.

The visual design of The Daily Life of the Immortal King Episode 26 enhances the story wonderfully. While the 3D rendered Sun and Ling are the most notable visual elements of the story, I like the designs of the various demons that pour through the portal to conquer Earth. Each design is unique and instantly gives the viewer a clear idea of that demon’s function in the attack.

The Daily Life of the Immortal King Episode 26 does a great job of firing off the invasion that I have been looking forward to all season. But the wrap-up of this episode introduces something completely new that has me dying to see next week’s episode. With no hint of what this new element will bring, and the show’s willingness to stretch its boundaries, the sky feels like the limit on what may come next.

The Daily Life of the Immortal King Episode 26 is streaming on Funimation.